Master of the Mountain (Cole x oc)

The Upply Strike Back

Hurrying down the path into the mountain, we made it to the heart of the mountain in no time. Hiding behind the same boulders as before, the Upply, Cole, and I surveyed the mines below us.

Plundar pointed towards the center of the cavern where a figure floated next to a suspended cage, "Look, the Skull Sorcerer." A cold chill slithered down my spine at the mention of his name.

"Tis unfortunate we cannot hear what he says," Fungus spat.

"You're not missin' much," Cole dead panned, "Once you've heard one of those villain-speeches, you've heard them all. He's just saying, 'blah blah, my evil plan, blah blah, no one's gonna save you.'"

"'No one is coming to save you. Have the courage to accept your fate,'" I mumbled.

The Upply and Cole turned to me, shocked. I blinked at them, "I have good hearing," I shrugged.

I listened again carefully, "Lloyd's asking about the Blades of Deliverance," I echoed, "He's asking if the Skull Sorcerer was the one who stole them."

Two skeleton warriors stepped out from behind the Skull Sorcerer, each with a Blade of Deliverance.

Cole gasped, "Those belonged to my mother!" he seethed. Standing up, he made to jump into action.

Plundar and I quickly grabbed his arms and held him back, "Are you crazy?" Plundar hissed, "Get down!"

Cole was vibrating with rage next to me, I didn't blame him.

"What else Skull Sorcerer say?" Korgran whispered.

"He's telling how easy it was to steal the blades and turn the Geckle and Munce on one another."

We turned and leaned against the boulders as the Skull Sorcerer made his exit, "Now's our chance," Cole began.

"What's the plan?" Plundar pressed.

"Fungus, you and Korgran get down there and see if you can free the Geckle and Munce. Get 'em loose and wait for my signal. Adam, Plundar, Celine, you're with me."

"Where are we going?" Plundar asked.

"After those blades. If we can get those, we just might have a chance."

As Korgran and Fungus hopped down the ledge onto the main level of the mine, Cole, Plundar, Adam, and I slipped away, following the skeletons. They entered a cave close by, one that seemed too familiar...

I froze where I was. "Celine?" Cole murmured towards me. I couldn't move, couldn't think.

He reached out and grabbed my arm. I yanked it away, feeling crazed, breathing heavily.

"What is it?" Plundar inquired, pulling his mask down as he looked at me.

"This place," I breathed.

"It's where you-"

"Yeah," I regained my composure, "Let's just get the blades and get out of here."

We hurried down the hallway, racing to keep up with the skeletons. Slowing to a standstill, we watched from the entrance of a hallway as they walked to the back, preparing to place the blades in a secret compartment in the ground. Cole gave the signal and the four of us slunk up behind them.

Cole tapped on one's shoulder, "Hello there," before he and Plundar knocked them to pieces.

"General Kenobi," I mumbled under my breath.

The blades flew up in the air and Cole caught them as the descended, "I'll take those. Thanks!" The bones of the skeletons fell into the compartment and Adam pulled a lever to seal them up.

"What now?" Plundar questioned.

"Get to the cages, see if you can get my friends out," Cole ordered.

"What about you?" I spoke.

Cole grabbed a shield and an armored hood from a chest, "I'm gonna have a word with the guy that chucked me down a mountain and assaulted my friend."

Cole raced out of the cave, leaving Plundar and I alone.

"So... Are you single?" Plundar asked.

I glared at him, "Don't make me punch you. Let's go."

Leaving the cave, we stood on the ledge, scanning the scene below. To the right, the Skull Sorcerer was making a speech to the Geckle and Munce. To the left, the cage with the rest of the ninja was suspended from the ceiling.

"How are we gonna get up there?" I mused.

"That's what Adam's for," Plundar smirked. He hopped on the spider and offered me his hand.

"Are you serious?"

"Do you wanna save your friends or not?" he questioned.

Sighing, I took his hand and he hoisted me onto Adam's back as he began to ascend the ceiling.

"Wait for Cole's signal before you drop to the cage," I muttered to the two.

"Sure thing," Adam crawled onto the chain of the cage, but stayed at the top as directed. We watched as Cole clambered up a cliff face, waiting for the perfect time to reveal himself. As a skeleton warrior was starting to open a cage that I could only assume contained Grief Bringing, Cole picked up a brick and hurled it at the skeleton, shattering him on impact. The Skull Sorcerer flew towards it and Cole jumped down onto a suspended cage.

"Who dares?" he raged.

"I'll give you three guesses," Cole returned, leaping down and attacking the Skull Sorcerer full force.

"You!"

"Yes!" came a cry from below. Jay!

"Cole," a robotic voice spoke. Zane!

"I knew it!" That was Nya!

"Kick his butt, Cole!" And that was Kai!

It was good to hear the voices of my friends again. I nudged Plundar, "That's the signal."

Spurring Adam forward, we carefully dropped down the chain and landed on top of the cage. Adam crept down the side of the cage, providing somewhere for us to stand to unlock the door.

As Plundar slipped down Adam's back in front of the cage, Jay yelped at the sight of Adam.

"I'm on it!" Plundar spoke, holding up a key.

"Who are you?" Nya questioned.

"Plundar's the name. One of the Lowly. Except I think we're the 'Upply' now."

"Um, the who?"

"We're in Cole's crew."

"Cole's got a crew?" Kai asked.

I glided down the cage, "what's up guys?"

"Celine!" the ninja spoke in unison.

"Boy are we glad to see you!" Lloyd exclaimed

Plundar unlocked the cage and the ninja jumped out with me following them.

"Ninja-GO!" we yelled as we descended on the fight below, joining the Geckle and Munce. Kai tossed me one of his katanas, and the lot of us began to fight off the skeletons one by one, again and again as they resurrected. It was almost fun, destroying things that had no life side by side with my friends. To be honest, there wasn't much more I could ask for.

A roar shook the mountain and everything was still for a moment. Grief Bringing was free from his cage. And he was ready to kill.